The WAWLI Papers #290...

GRAPPLERS TOLD TO BEHAVE

(Los Angeles Times, January 6, 1933)

CHICAGO, Ill., Jan. 5 (AP) -- No more rough-house or
burlesque wrestling goes in Chicago.

No longer will the big, hairy chested mammoths of the mat
be allowed to toss each other out of the ring, exchange bites,
slug each other and indulge in other monkey business to the
huge delight of the spectators.

In the future wrestlers must wrestle, or be fined, suspended,
or both.

Gen. John V. Clinnin, chairman of the Illinos State Athletic
Commission, made known his stand today, after one of the
wrestling boys, Lou Plummer, of South Bend, Ind., took a
few wallopos at the referee in a recent match. Plummer was
ordered to appear before the commission next Monday for
discipline.

Gen. Clinnin said that present wrestling was nothing more
than "horseplay;" that they were not contests, and nothing
more than exhibitions of tossing each other around -- a
burlesque on the Roman arena.

"I am sick and tired of this monkey business," Gen. Clinnin
said. "Wrestlers must wrestle or get out.

"These fellows go through the same act all over the country.
In some places the referees are part of the act, but in Illinois
they are representatives of the state and must uphold the
dignity.

"These exhibitions are not even amusement; they don't
approach it. These wrestlers either go to a draw for a
stipulated number of minutes, or one of them lays down,
according to an arranged program. It is no longer a sport.
They bite each other, trade blows, and go through other
horseplay for no other purpose than to work on the passion of
the spectators. They are fooling the people by claiming to put
on a contest where there is no contest to it."
___________________________

LAST NIGHT'S MAT RESULTS AT THE OLYMPIC

(Los Angeles Times, Thursday, January 12, 1933)

Ray Steele won over George Zaharias in the main event of
Lou Daro's wrestling match last night at the Olympic by
gaining the "rubber" fall with a full nelson in 16m. and 50s. A
fistic fight between the gladiators followed, but Daro
separated them before any bodily harm was done.

Zaharias applied a series of his tortuous face locks to pin
Steele to the mat in 28m. 7s. Referee Don McDonald was
compelled to intervene at intervals to wrench "Gentleman
George" off his foe to avoid a good, old-fashioned strangling
soiree.

Steele came back to drop Zaharias in 9m. 35s. with two
body slams.

Wrapping each other up like a Christmas parcel with their
elongated legs, Vic Christy and Fred Grubmeier panted to a
thirty-minute draw in the semi-wind-up. They tugged and
pulled and grunted but all to no avail.

Henry Graber slipped over a right to Dick Daviscourt's chin
that made a so-called pugilist in the front row turn red in
remorse. The latter fell noggin first through the ropes and
was unable to return within the allotted twenty seconds. This
bit of action occurred just seventeen minutes and twenty
seconds after activities started.

Hans Steinke registered two body slams within quick
succession over Don De Laun in fourteen minutes and fifteen
seconds. Steve Strelich finished George Maloney in the
curtain-raiser in fourteen minutes and forty-eight seconds
with a body slam.
_______________________________

LONDOS WINNER OVER MARSHALL

(Los Angeles Times, January 19, 1933)

ST. LOUIS, Jan. 18 (AP) -- Jim Londos of St. Louis
defended his claims to the heavyweight wrestling title,
defeating Everett Marshall, of La Junta, Colo., in 1h. 12m.
24s. here tonight. Londos was awarded the decision on an
"unconscious" hold, described as having the victim's arm
raised above his head in chancery. Londos weighed 202,
Marshall 215.
_______________________________________

MARSHALL CLAIMS WRESTLING TITLE

(Los Angeles Times, Tuesday, January 31, 1933)

Demand that he be acclaimed the world's champion
heavyweight wrestler in Missouri as the successor to Jim
Londos has been made by Everette Marshall, and the blond
Californian yesterday wired from Kansas City that he will
probably be a fullfledged title-holder when he meets George
Wilson at the Hollywood Legion Stadium Thursday night.

Marshall claims that Londos forfeited his title so far as
Missouri is concerned when he used an illegal hold in their
match several weeks ago. He has sent word that the
commission is almost certain to take his view of the
situation.
_______________________________________

EIGHT BARRED BY MAT BOARD

(Los Angeles Times, Thursday, February 2, 1933)

LOUISVILLE, Ky., Feb. 1 (AP) -- Eight wrestlers appearing
here last night were suspended by Karl D. Malone, executive
secretary of the National Wrestling Association of America,
when they refused to perform under the regulations of the
association, which include physical examinations by
approved physicians.

Those suspended were Ed Don George, New York; Mike
Romano, New Orleans; Sandor Szabo, Austria; Scotty
McDougall, Scotland; Glenn Munn, Lincoln, Neb.; Dude
Chick, Lincoln; Jerry Monahan, New York, and Ted Cox,
Atlanta.

Malone said the suspension would be effective in twenty
states which are members of the National Wrestling
Association.
_____________________________________

AIRPLANE SPIN RUINS WILSON AT HOLLYWOOD

(Los Angeles times, Friday, February 3, 1933)

Everette Marshall, blond Colorado mat gladiator, took but
22m. 46s. to win his scheduled two-out-of-three-fall finish
battle with George Wilson, former Washington grid star, last
night in the Hollywood Legion main event. Wilson was
unable to continue the brawl after being knocked cold by a
rabbit punch followed by Marshall's celebrated airplane spin.
He was carried from the ring on a stretcher.

One of the largest crowds in the history of wrestling at the
Legion witnessed the match, which marked Marshall's return
to California after a five months' campaign in the east.

Prince Chewchki proved even tougher than his name is to
pronounced in winning two straight falls from Andreas
Castanos. The Prince got rougher than the roads in the State
of Despair to cop the first fall in 13m. 4s. and the second in
14s. flat. The winning holds were described as cross body
blocks which, to the layman, means nothing less than a
couple of well-timed rights to the cin.

In the other bouts, Glenn Wade tossed Sailor Jack Lewis
wiith a pile driver drop in 13m. 55s. Perry Marter quelled
Dave Orsdorff in 28m. 41s. by virtue of a series of headlocks.
Joe Woods and Roy Goldberg wasted fifteen minutes of
each other's time to arrive at nothing more startling than a
draw.
________________________________________

PESEK STARTS NEW CAMPAIGN

(Los Angeles Times, Thursday, February 16, 1933)

Returning to Hollywood after an absence of five months,
John Pesek, the Nebraska "Tiger," will start a new drive for
world's title recognition by meeting Glenn Wade, Long
Beach heavyweight, in a two-hour, time-limit match, as the
feature of five grappling bouts at the Legion Stadium tonight.

Pesek's gold belt emblematic of his American Legion
heavyweight championship will be at stake. The match will
be held under California Athletic Commission rules, which
require that a decision be rendered.

If neither has gained the deciding fall at the end of two hours,
an extra fifteen minutes will be ordered and a decision by the
referee announced.

Pesek expects to enter the ring at 192 pounds, the lightest
weight at which he has competed in the last five years. He
must concede Wade at least twenty pounds and the fact has
made the Long Beach man an even choice.

In the semi-wind-up, George Wilson, former University of
Washington football star, will start a little comeback with Joe
Woods, local heavyweight, as his opponent. Wilson dropped
the verdict to Everette Marshall two weeks ago, but he hopes
to regain his winning ways tonight at the expense of Woods.

"Prince" Chewchki, Oklahoma gypsy heavyweight, who won
easily on his debut here, gets a real test in a half-hour tussle
with Charlie Santen, young Missouri heavyweight.

A newcomer will be a full-blooded Indian, "Chief Three
Persons," who claims to be a descendant of the battling
redskin, Geronimo. He tangles with Jim Corrigan, the only
Irishman on the card, in a one-fall bout.

This week's "grudge" feature will be supplied by Harry
Ekizian and Walter Podalak, Russian strong man, who will
settle their differences in a one-fall scramble with a thirty-
minute time limit.

Don McDonald will referee all the matches.
__________________________________________

ED. NOTE -- The clippings in this WAWLI Papers report
were provided by the research of Steve Yohe. Our thanks to
his continued support of the publication.
____________________________________________

PLANS COURT ORDER TO SAVE MAT SHOW

(Chicago Tribune, Tuesday, April 11, 1933)

Wrestling was exiled from the commonwealth of Illinois
yesterday for the second time in three years, when the
Illinois Athletic Commission, after an exhaustive
investigation, decided that the game is not without its
moments of deceit.

Whereas three years ago the commission declared an
embargo only on heavyweight matches, it ruled yesterday to
bar wrestling of any class or description.

A contest between the commission and promoter John
Krone appeared likely over the holding of a wrestling show
scheduled at the Coliseum tonight, featuring Strangler Lewis
and Jim Browning.

Krone said he would hold the show and displayed a sanction
received from the commission and dated April 1.

Joseph Triner, chairman of the commission, said that
Krone's permit had been revoked and there would be no
show.

"If Krone goes ahead he will be promoting an illegal show
and the commission has power to call out the police to stop
it," Triner said. He also declared the commission would
invoke such power, if necessary.

Krone said he would obtain an injunction, if necessary, in
order to present the show. His statement follows:

"On the first day of April, 1933, the following letter was sent
to me by the Illinois State Athletic Commission:

"Mr. John Krone, Sherman Hotel, Chicago, Ill.

"Dear Sir:

"Your application for date of April 11th at the Coliseum has
been approved by the commission.

"Very truly yours, Illinois State Athletic Commission (signed)
Louis London, Secretary.

"Since the receipt of the letter, the authorization therein
granted has not been cancelled, and therefore the match will
be conducted according to the foregoing permit and in
accordance with the law and the rules and regulations of the
Honorable Commission.

"No doubt the Honorable Commission, if they desire or
intended to cancel their permit to me, would have provided
for a hearing, according to the statute and their rules and
regulations.

"Inasmuch as the State of Illinois, through its commission,
has authorized the match, the attorney general, Hon. Otto
Kerner, or, of course, the state's attorney, Hon. Thomas J.
Courtney, would be the only persons to question my right to
conduct the wrestling match.

"Yours very truly, John Krone."

Krone's refrence to the hearing due him under the law is
based on a misinterpreation of the rules, Triner said. A
hearing before the commission is the right of any promoter
refused a license, and 10 days' notice of such a hearing
must be given in writing. This rule (sec. 16 of the Illinois law
governing boxing and wrestling) does not apply in the case of
a promoter who has had a licensed granted and then
revoked, the commission contends.

John P. Murray, attorney for Doc Krone, last night intimated
that he would take legal steps today to protect his client's
investment in tonight's wrestling show.

"The commission can not suspend the statute which permits
boxing and wrestling," Murray said last night. "If the
commission could, then its own duties would be at an end.
Neither has the status of my client changed since the
commission granted permission to hold this wrestling show.

"I am not certain what course we will take. The commission
first must serve Krone with notice of revocation. We may
seek an injunction from the Circuit or Superior courts, we
may ask the same courts for a writ of certiorari, or, since
athletes from outside the jurisdiction of state courts are under
contract, we may take our plea to federal district court.

"In any event, the commission has exceeded its powers, for,
having granted a license, it can not revoke it without cause."

The decision to bar wrestling followed a public hearing for
Joe Savoldi, who said he threw Jim Londos at the Stadium
Friday night, and for Londos, who said he wasn't beaten.
There also was a hearing for Bob Manogoff, the referee, but
the commission conducted this one in private.

After examination, cross-examinations and final pleas to the
"gentlemen of the jury," Chairman Triner, Packy McFarland,
and George Getz, the commissioners closed the doors,
meditated a moment over a statement to the press and
announced, as follows:

"The commission unanimously agrees that the decision of
the referee, Bob Manogoff, in reference to the Londos-
Savoldi wrestling match, stands as rendered.

"The bout in question was not for the wrestling
championship because the commission does not recognize
any wrestling champion or championship wrestling matches,
and because of this reason the commission did not allow the
announcer to announce James Londos as champion.

"Sanction for any and all wrestling bouts has been with the
understanding that they were not for any championship and
were only exhibitions.

"The commission further unanimously agrees to suspend
wrestling in the state of Illinois indefinitely. Any and all
sanctions for wrestling matches from this date on are hereby
revoked."

A wrestling addict leaped to his feet with the reading of this
ultimatum and, wringing his hat in a wash-woman grip,
begged the commission's pardon.

"What about the Browning-Lewis show at the Coliseum?" he
pleaded.

"Off," Triner answered loconically. "Off. No show."

The addict staggered away, crestfallen. Londos said he
would go to California and Savoldi announced that in the
case Londos was going west, he would go east.

Triner said the commission was powerless to exact reprisals
from the promoters of Friday night's show, the Chicago
Stadium Operating Company, for advertising the match as a
championship affair involving the National Wrestling
Association's diamond belt. The advertising had been done
without the commission's consent and all the commission
could do was to prevent it from happening again.

The public hearing developed nothing in testimony that shed
any light on the happenings of Friday night when Savoldi
was awarded the match on a fall in 26 minutes and 20
seconds, except that Londos did not appear to know exactly
what happened. He continued to maintain he was on his ear
and not his shoulder, and that Savoldi's feet were in the
ropes.
___________________________________________

JOE SAVOLDI SUSPENDED

(Chicago Tribune, Wednesday, April 12, 1933)

LOUISVILLE, Ky., April 11 (AP) -- Karl W. Malone,
secretary of the National Wrestling Association, tonight
announced suspension by the association of Joe Savoldi,
former Notre Dame football star, who defeated Jim Londos at
Chicago Friday. Malone said Savoldi was suspended at the
request of Indiana athletic officials, who reported Savoldi
failed to fulfill a contract at Evansville Monday night.
________________________________________

BROWNING PINS LEWIS; WRESTLING ENDS

(Chicago Tribune, Wednesday, April 12, 1933)

By Wilfrid Smith

Wrestling, now a lost art in Illinois by decree of the state
athletic commission last Monday, lifted its head in
posthumous exhibition last night at the Coliseum. John (Doc)
Krone presented Strangler Lewis and Jim Browning in the
obsequies only because he had been granted permission
prior to the ukase of the commission.

Browning, who had tossed the Strangler in the east recently,
thereby taking the edge off the announcement that Lewis, a
former champion, would appear in three matches in
Chicago, duplicated this feat last night. The time was
1:03:32. Unofficial figures gave an attendance of 800 with
receipts of $1,100, give or take a hundred dollars and the
same number of fans, either way.

Minor features nearly overshadowed the climax of the main
bout. That climax was a series of apparently crushing
headlocks by Lewis which terminated in Browning twisting
his opponent to the mat with a turnover scissors which left
Lewis panting impressively on his back with scarcely breath
enough to voice a protest at his unexpected defeat.

Chief of the surprises for the fans at wrestling's wake was the
appearance of Johnny Behr as referee. It was Beh'rs first
employment in charge of the grapplers. Behr and George
Karras, who handled several preliminaries, followed
instructions of the commissioners, two of whom, Chairman
Joe Triner and George Getz, sat at ringside, to make the
boys leave out the histrionics and rough stuff.

As a result, referee Karras disqualified Matros Kirilenko for
fighting after ten minutes of his bout with Leonard Macaluso.
Behr followed with a disqualification of Leo Pinetzki in 15:34
in the semi-windup with Tiny Roebuck. Pinetzki had
persisted in elbowing Roebuck's nose.

Those rulings leave the commission with a final set of
penalties to administer which, since the sport no longer is
countenanced in the state, probably will consist of forfeiture
of purses.

Lewis and Browning profited by these warnings. Neither
lifted a hand to harm the other, but confined their hour's work
strictly to tugging and twisting. Browning did best with his
lofty scissors hold, utilizing his 224 pounds to yank Lewis'
fatty toros about the ring during the early minutes. As usual,
the Strangler depended on a headlock.

Each resorted to toe holds to relieve the monotony. During
the first hour Browning ran up a lead of 3 toe holds to 1, with
correspondingly reverse score in expressions of anguish and
floor beating in favor of the Strangler.

The timekeeper announced fifty minutes had elapsed when
Lewis grabbed Browning's head with his sixth, seventh and
eighth head locks. Browning apparently weakened and there
was a stir among the ringside customers who reached for
their hats and coats. Their anticipation, however, was
premature.

When Lewis plied his tenth headlock, he put on a
spectacular series of body smashes, using Browning's head
as a lever. Again the spectators stirred. Lewis continued his
tactics, running his headlocking to number 17. Browning
broke for a final time, and, when the Strangler closed in, he
flung his legs about Lewis and rolled him to the mat. Almost
before referee Behr realized the end came and Lewis lay with
both shoulders pinned.

The opening preliminary between Steve Savage and Glenn
Munn went to the limit, 20 minutes, and a draw.

Last night's matches were held only after the commission
had modified its ruling of Monday, which banned all
wrestling. After a long distance telephone conversation with
Attorney General Otto Kerner, Triner announced the bouts
might go on.

"The attorney general took the position that since a sanction
had been granted, a ten-day notice of revocation had not
been given, and since the promoter had certain property
rights because of his expenses, the commission should
rescind its action on Monday for this exception. Our ban on
wrestling, however, will continue in effect," Triner said.
____________________________________

SAVOLDI SIGNS WITH CANADIAN MAT PROMOTER

(Chicago Tribune, Thursday, April 13, 1933)

Joe Savoldi, claimant of the world's heavyweight wrestling
championship since his disputed victory over Jim Londos at
the Chicago Stadium last Friday night, has signed a three-
year contract with Joe Corcoran, promoter for the
Queensbury Sports Club of Toronto, Canada, it was
announced yesterday.

Referee Bob Manogoff, who gave the decision to Savoldi in
the Londos match, which resulted in the indefinite
suspension of wrestling in the state of Illinois, indicated he
would officiate in many of Savoldi's Canadian matches.
_______________________________________

The WAWLI Papers #291...

CHERRY HILL, N.J., THE PLACE TO BE OCT. 24

On October 24 in Cherry Hill Hilton there will be Lou Thesz,
Harley Race, Danny Hodge, Gordon Solie, Dory Funk Jr.,
Barry Windham, Dan Severn, Tully Blanchard, Fred Blassie
and Abdullah the Butcher. Some of these have been
honored by the CAC before but not on the East Coast. I think
that the line-up is excellent. I do hope that the turnout will be
good however. I now understand that the people that
we are holding the dinner with (NWA) are not very well liked.
I decided to go with them, however, because they were
bringing in a large group. This way the guests did not have
to fly themselves to our dinner which is always a problem.

Regards,
George Napolitano
Chairman
Cauliflower Alley Club East Coast Reunion
---------------------------------------------------

JIM LONDOS TELLS ALL

(Los Angeles Times, Friday, April 14, 1933)

"I've lost a few falls in my life but that's the first time I ever
lost one when I had a hold on my opponent and was giving
him the works. I'm still champion and everybody knows it.
I'm not worried about anybody taking Savoldi's claims
seriously but I am worried about what's going to happen to
the wrestling game."

In case you haven't guessed, it's Jeemy Londos at the
microphone telling about his soiree with Joe Savoldi at
Chicago the other night.

"This fellow Bob Mangoff wasn't supposed to referee the
match at all. They announced emil Thiery to officiate and at
the last minute they made a switch. We wrestled twenty-six
minutes and Joe was never once behind me -- never once
the aggressor.

"I finally got what is called a Japanese arm lock on him and
began to roll him around. I was in a sitting position because
of the hold. I slammed him from one side to the other as he
struggled to get away and finally, after some little time, the
referee tapped me on the shoulder and I saw that Savoldi's
feet were caught in the ropes. I let go, walked to the middle
of the ring, turned around and saw the referee helping
Savoldi untangle himself from the ropes.

"When he finally got free I started after him again, but
Managoff stepped in between us and raised Savoldi's hand.
He then jumped out of the ring, ran to the door, jumped into
a taxi and disappeared. Anyhow, the bout was not for the
championship. I was not thrown and the National Wrestling
Association has refused to recognize Savoldi's claim to the
title. So that's that."

The main thing that is bothering Londos is the fact that the
Illinois Wrestling Commission, being unable to figure what
it's all about, put a ban on wrestling. "If I'm crooked it's all
right to bar me or if the other fellows are crooked it's all right
to bar them, but there's no justice in barring the wrestling
game," Jeemy says.

Londos points out that he has wrestled Savoldi several times
and has never lost a fall to him. He also says that he offered
to wrestle Savoldi before the commission for no gate
receipts and that he'll do it any time and guarantee to throw
him.

"If somebody is a better wrestler than I am I'll congratulate
him if he can beat me, but I don't like to be robbed," Jeemy
said.

Lou Daro, local impresario, said that as far as he was
concerned he wasn't taking any sides in the controversy and
that he was willing to have Londos or Savoldi wrestle for him
-- provided their opponents were suitable. "But I won't let
them pick their own opponents," Lou said.

Londos is returning to the East almost immediately and will
defend his championship in Pennsylvania next week.
______________________________

NEW GROUP FOR DARO'S MAT BOUTS

(Los Angeles Times, Tuesday, April 18, 1933)

A group entirely different from topnotch heavyweights who
have been appearing here during the past year is being
sought by promoter Lou Daro for the wrestling program
planned for the Olympic on the 26th of this month. This was
seen here yesterday with the promoter's announcement he
had given up plans to match several grapplers who tangled
here recently, and that he had been negotiating with Nick
Lutze, Jim Browning, Ed Lewis, Gus Sonnenberg, Don
George and Dan Koloff for the past few days.

These grapplers have been the outstanding stars in the East
during the past few years. Browning is recognized as
champion in New York as the result of his win over Lewis.
George is the recognized titleholder in Massachusetts and
the first to win the world's mat crown in Los Angeles.
George won the title from Sonnenberg, while the latter came
to the mat throne by butting and tackling Lewis out of the
crown in Boston four years ago.
________________________________

JIM LONDOS OPENS LONG BEACH CARD

(Los Angeles Times, Tuesday, April 18, 1933)

Long Beach holds its first wrestling match in nine years
Wednesday night at the $3,000,000 Municipal Auditorium
when Jimmy Londos, world heavyweight champion, meets
Rudy Skarda, 210-pound Finnish challenger, in the three-fall
main event. In 1924, as an unknown grappler, Londos
appeared on the last mat card before a city ban ruled out the
sport.

Prince Chewchki, colorful gypsy, tackles Rube Wright of
Hollywood in the semi-windup of three falls. Oki Shikina,
Japanese star, faces Cliff Thiede, Long Beach heavyweight,
in the special. Two other preliminaries are on tap.

Revival of wrestling in Long Beach since lifting of the city
ban marks the start of semi-monthly mat cards under the
auspices of the Long Beach Eagles and under the promotion
of Lou Daro.
___________________________________

ILLINOIS DROPS 'RASSLING BAN

(Los Angeles Times, Sunday, April 30, 1933)

CHICAGO, April 29 (Exclusive) -- Wrestling is again in good
standing in Illinois following a court order and a ruling today
by the chairman of the Illinois Athletic Commission. The
commission put a ban on wrestling bouts following the bout
between Jim Londos and Joe Savoldi in which Savoldi was
awarded the decision.

Following a ruling today by Judge William J. Lindsay, who
held that an injunction granted Promoter John Krone still
stands, Chairman Joseph Triner of the athletic commission
issued an order permitting wrestling if the rules and
regulations of the commission are adhered to. The injunction
restrained the police from interfering with Krone's wrestling
show scheduled for next Thursday.
______________________________________

MR. LEWIS FALLS PREY TO SAVOLDI

(Los Angeles Times, Tuesday, May 23, 1933)

NEW YORK, May 22 (AP) -- Jumping Joe Savoldi, the
illustrious ex-footballer, advanced another step toward the
wrestling heights tonight with a field goal victory over old Ed
(Strangler) Lewis at Madison Square Garden.
______________________________

GORGEOUS GEORGE -- WHAT A GENT!

(Portland Oregonian, Sunday, February 15, 1948)

By Grantland Rice

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 14 (NANA) -- It may be you have
never heard of Gorgeous George, the perfumed wrestler who
is packing them in, 10,000 at a clip, here.

To make sure you get better acquainted, we dispatched one
of the world's greatest writers to report on the gorgeous one.
The report follows:

"Dear Grant:

"It was my privilege to visit Gorgeous George, the actor, in
his dressing room at the Olympic Auditorium recently. I
viewed him in brutal but beautiful action in an event called
'tag wrestlling,' a kind of grappling which resembles the
beachhead at Okinawa.

"After knocking at the dressing room door, I found Gorgeous
George disrobing for the night's rude pleasantries. His valet,
Jeffrey, who may have been born at No. 10 Downing Street,
was ministering to him as if the gorgeous one were Oscar
Wilde or Beau Brummel. I saw in Gorgeous Geoprge a
somewhat stout athlete of perhaps 40 years of age. He is
about 5 feet 10 inches tall, weighs some 15 stone, plus a bit
of gravel.

"When I explained to George that I was representing
Grantland Rice and desired an interview, his austere manner
relaxed momentarily. Her permitted me to shake his hand.

"'I am charmed,' said Gorgeous George. 'I do not read the
sports pages,' he added, 'because my mind is otherwise
culturally employed.'

"George admitted that, during his visits to beauty parlors, he
sometimes idly turns the pages of magazines there. As a
rule, however, he does not care a Jim Figg for the type of
literature to be found in these salons.

"The beautificians each week groom and marcel Gorgeous
George's extraordinary head of hair. They give him a
periodical bleach and appropriate rinses. George sometimes
wears bobby-pins. It is said that, on one occasion during a
match an opponent plucked one of these bobby-pins from
George's tresses, then jabbed the gorgeous one in a tender
place. Mr. George speaks of this as a 'vulgar stratagem.'

"In appearance, Gorgeous George seems an incarnation of
Lord Byron, a photostat of the poet when his lordship was
putting on a bit of weight in Venice, just before departing
Italy for Greece to fight and succumb on the field of
Missolonghi.

"In the dressing room, Gorgeous George's valet, Jeffrrey,
spreads out the splendid habiliments to be worn in the ring.
This night it was Gorgeous George's pleasure to wear green
trunks and green socks. He also selected a pair of white kid
shoes which were high on the calf, like the old queen quality
numbers owned by cotillion belles of Frank Croninshield's
day. Gorgeous George's dressing gown of that night was a
custom-built creation of orchid-colored silk, flamboyantly
flowered. When asked if Adrian had made this garment,
George replied, 'No, my friend, it was designed by an
eastern couturier.' Then he added, 'It contains seven yards of
material.'

"I was inviting Gorgeous George to have tea with me, but at
that moment an old and valued friend interrupted the niceties
of the occasion by peeking into the room with a somewhat
skeptical eye. This well-intentioned peeper, Mr. Ed
(Strangler) Lewis, seemed amazed to find me, an old Denver
commoner, currying favor with my social betters. The
Strangler turned sadly to go, and I thought it best to follow
after him to explain my ambitions.

"Just before the main event, the Fra Duseks arrived in the
ring to the music of boos and catcalls. Next, the partner of
Gorgeous George, Gino Garibaldi, heaved upon the scene.

"And now, after a stage wait, Gorgeous George's man
Jeffrey came up the aisle. He was carrying a large silver tray,
upon which rested a huge atomizer as well as various jars of
unguents and toilet articles. Draped over Jeffrey's right arm,
there was an orchid-colored bath mat and a small prayer rug,
the purpose of which was not immediately apparent.

"Jeffrey is a somewhat tall and spare fellow, with the
manners of a bored mortician. In public, there is never a
smile to be seen beneath the netly clipped moustache of this
gentleman's gentleman. His movements are slow and
precise. Sometimes he wears a derby hat, but this time he
appeared bareheaded. Jeffrey had on a valet's uniform of
black, but his waistcoat was a billiard-table green, to match
the green trunks and socks of the master. On nights when
Gorgeous George wears orchid trunks or Alice blue, the
valet's waistcoat corresponds in the current color scheme of
the master.

"The Dusek brothers stood snarling in their own corner.
Signor Garibaldi limbered up in the opposite nook. Jeffrey set
down his tray on the mat, then spread the bat mat upon
which Gorgeous George was to stand. He next put the
Oriental rug at a place where his master presumably was to
come through the ropes.

"Jeffrey then picked up the atomizer and began to disinfect
the entire ring area with a perfumed edition of DDT.

"A lusty murmur arose from the audience as Gorgeous
George strode up the aisle. Like a graduate of Sandringham,
his feet kept p;erfect time to the coronation hymn of Queen
Victoria. His marceled head arose above the collar of his
orchid robe, and his imperial profile was masklike as he
marched toward the ring. For a moment I thought that he
was about to be ordained as archbishop of Canterbury.

"At the introduction of visiting celebrities, Gorgeous George
indifferently examined his manicure. And now Primo
Carnera, former pugilistic heavyweight champion of the
world, and of more recent date a wrestler by occupation, was
formally presented to the crowd. The gigantic Primo shook
hands all around, and finally extended his mighty paw as a
token of good-fellowship to Gorgeous George.

"The throng was amazed and so was Carnera when
Gorgeous George refused to shake hands. Instead, he
glanced coldly at Carnera. A look of embarrassment such as
never was seen on Carnera's face except at the time when
Max Baer knocked him bowledgged, no p;ossessed the jowls
and chops of the snubbed athlete.

"GENE FOWLER."

This is the best report on a rugged athlete that we have read
in many years.

(ED. NOTE -- This version of the Fowler/Rice article appears
truncated. If anyone has a longer, or the full, version, the
editor would be most appreciative if it could be forwarded to
him. See addresses above.)
______________________________________

SOME 1948 ODDS & ENDS FROM THE MAT

(At this time, both Seattle newspapers -- The Times and The
Post-Intelligencer -- refused, via editorial ukase, to print the
results of professional wrestling matches because the
papers' managing editors had somehow gotten the idea the
sham bouts represented an affront to society. The papers
did, however, accept paid advertisements announcing the
scheduled bouts.)

Portland -- Monday, April1 12 -- Jack Lipscomb beat Frank
Stojack (nontitle bout), Frankie Hart drew Paavo Ketonen,
Buck Weaver beat Glen Knox DQ, Phantom beat Tommy
Nilan (George Dusette referee)

Portland -- Monday, April 19 -- Frankie Hart-Buck Weaver
beat Jack Lipscomb-Glen Knox, George Dusette beat Gust
Johnson, Jack Poppenheim drew Phantom

Portland -- Monday, April 26 -- George Dusette beat Jack
Lipscomb, Rufus Jones beat Buck Weaver, Phantom drew
Gust Johnson, Frankie Hart drew Glen Knox

Portland -- Monday, May 3 -- Frank Stojack beat George
Dusette (defended Pacific Coast lightheavyweight title), Alex
Kasaboski beat Buck Weaver, Rufus Jones drew Al Szasz,
Glen Knox beat George O'Hara (Labor Temple)

Seattle -- Monday, May 3 -- Gordon Hessel-Jack Kiser vs.
Red Shadow-Bill Hunter, Rufus Jones vs. Frank Stojack,
Gust Johnson vs. Al Szasz (scheduled card)

Portland -- Monday, May 10 -- Jack Kiser beat Paavo
Ketonen, Jack Poppenheim (later Kurt Von Poppenheim)
beat Phantom, Jack Lipscomb beat Alex Kasaboski, Al
Szasz beat Glen (Buddy) Knox; Szasz beat Lipscomb, Kiser
beat Poppenheim; Szasz beat Kiser (won one-night
tournament at Labor Temple)

Seattle -- Monday, May 10 -- Gordon Hessel, Red Shadow,
Frankie Hart, Alex Kasaboski, Rufus Jones, Bob DeMarce
scheduled in battle royal, Bill Hunter vs. Gust Johnson

Seattle -- Monday, May 17 -- Rufus Jones vs. Red Shadow,
Bob DeMarce vs. Gust Johnson, Frankie Hart vs. Gordon
Hessel, Bob Kenaston vs. Bill Hunter

Seattle -- Monday, May 24 -- Red Shadow vs. Rufus Jones,
Jack Kiser-Frank Stojack vs. Gordon Hessel-Alex Kasaboski,
Bob DeMarce vs. Short (Ice Arena)
____________________________________

San Francisco -- Tuesday, July 27 -- Civic Auditorium

Dean Detton-Bobby Bruns beat Gorgeous George-Jeffrey
(latter injured in first fall, could not continue)
Fred Von Shacht beat Sam Menacher
Red Phantom (Tom Rice) beat Angelo Cistoldi
__________________________________

(ED. NOTE -- The Pacific Northwest, in the late '40s, was
mostly territory inhabited by lightheavyweight wrestlers and
an occasional junior heavy. Tex Adams, however, did
promote a trio of mostly heavyweight cards at 1948 year's
end on Wednesday nights in Portland's Civic Auditorium.)

November 17 -- Primo Carnera beat Eric Holmback DQ
(later Yukon Eric); Terry McGinnis-Swede Olson drew Rocco
Toma-Howard Cantonwine; Amio Kallio beat Bomber
Nicovich

November 24 -- Terry McGinnis-Earl McCready beat Eric
Holmback-Howard Cantonwine; Bud Curtis beat Rocco
Toma; Henri LaSalle beat Swede Olson

December 1 -- Terry McGinnis-Bud Curtis beat Henri
LaSalle-Eric Holmback; Swede Olson-Tiny Porter beat
Rocco Toma-Bulldog Jackson; Earl McCready beat Howard
Cantonwine DQ
_____________________________________

The WAWLI Papers #292...

NEAR RIOT MARKS WRESTLING MATCH HERE

(Rochester, Minn., Post-Bulletin, Monday, Feb. 26, 1951)

By Stew Hargesheimer

Justice was triumphant at Mayo Civic auditorium Saturday
night, when the popular "tag" wrestling team comprising Pat
O'Connor (Auckland, New Zealand) and Wladek Kowalski
(Hamtramck, Michigan) took two out of three falls from the
villainous duo of the Zebra Kid (from parts unknown) and
Hans Hermann (Hanover, Germany) in the main event of a
three-match program.

Yes, it was justice, with a capital "J," for in front of 2,478
cash customers, most of them on the verge of hysteria
before the final fall, Kowalski finished out the bout alone and
fell on Hermann for the third and deciding fall after 47
minutes and 22 seconds of strict mayhem. The result met
with the approval of the fans, all of whom were on their
respective feet when referee Bill Kuusisto tolled off the "fatal
three" to end up a wild evening's entertainment.

The show was a well-balanced one, and to take the results
in order, in the first match (which found the two participants
following the orthodox style of grappling), Cliff Hougard of St.
Paul effectively used a series of body slams to weaken Bob
Androff before pinning the latter in 18:13. The two boys
exhibited considerable "know how" and appropriately set the
stage for the action to come in the semi-final and the final
settos.

Johnny Moochy, the Balsalm Lake, Wis., villain, put on his
best performance of the season against versatile and willing
Roy Mcclarty before the latter managed the fall after 24:36.
Moochy tried all the tricks known to the trade, utilizing the
ropes throughout the match, but he fell victim to the wily
Winnipeg sniper just five and a half minutes before the half-
hour time limit was up.

Playing to the crowd throughout, Moochy bounced off the
ropes near what proved to be the end of the trail thrice, each
time hitting the dazed McClarty smack on the button, but
the Canadian weathered the storm, and came backer after
the third bounce to fall on the Badger state grunter for the
necessary three-count. Moochy collided head-on with
McClarty the last time out and hit the canvas on his back,
providing the Winnipeg grappler a perfect chance to
complete the match.

To attempt to cover, blow by blow, the final "tag" event
would be journalistic suicide. However, it is an established
fact that the Zebra Kid started out against O'Connor. From
there on in, it's anuybody's guess as to just who was and
who wasn't in the ring.

The records show, however, that after 20 minutes and 40
seconds had elapsed, during which the Kid and Hermann
perpetrated all sorts of illegal tactics against their foes,
O'Connor managed to maneuver the latter into a fall, much
to the delight of the crowd.

After a short rest period, Kowalski (who wound up as the
evening's hero) took off against the Zebra and the mixing
was rough for several minutes. O'Connor tried a series of his
famous flying Kangaroo kicks against both the Zebra and
Hermann, but the fall came when the former fell on the
prostrate form of O'Connor at 24:20.

It was hammer-and-tongs in the final fall, as O'Connor left
the ring injured and Kowalski was left to carry the load all
alone for the final 11 minutes. He successfully managed to
ward off the double attack by the Zebra and Hermann, and,
__________________________________________

BULLETIN

It was announced early this afternoon by Promoter Ben
Sternberg that a possibility of a rematch of participants in
Saturday night's sensational "tag" wrestling match is out of
the question for this week's mat card at the auditorium. The
local matchmaker had hoped to book in the same foursome
(the Zebra Kid and Hans Hermann against Pat O'Connor
and Wladek Kowalski) but he learned today that Kowalski
will be headlining a card in Chicago Stadium on Saturday
evening.

Meanwhile, O'Connor, the popular Irish grappler who
teamed with Kowalski in Saturday's winning derdict,
apparently was not seriously injured when he was jumped
on by the Zebra Kid near the end of the third fall. He
returned to Minneapolis and is slated to wrestle tomorrow
night in the Minneapolis Auditorium. Pat suffered a rib injury
and was helped from the ring.
______________________________________

at 47:22, caught Hermann alone and downed him for the
final fall.

In this last period, a bolt in the ring gave way, under the
combined weight of the four wrestlers and the referee (1,439
pounds) and it appeared that the match might have to be
halted, but the setup held fast long enough for the show to
be completed.

The bout was over at 47:22, but not the action. Kuusisto
tried valiantly to get the principals to the dressing room, but
to no avail for several minutes. The Zebra and Hermann
were set to tee off on the "lonesome" Kowalski, and the big
Polish grappler wouldn't back up an inch. Order finally was
restored as fans filed towards the exits.

Extra police escorted the grapplers to the showers.

An over-enthusiastic fan at ringside early in the match,
attempting to enter the fray and help out O'Connor and
Kowalski, got a kick in the face for his efforts and at the end
of the third fall, few of the more than near capacity crowd
were sitting down.

A "tag" match definitely will feature Saturday's show,
Sternberg said today, but the participants won't be known
until tomorrow. The local impresario will check details with
the midwest mat czar, Tony Stecher in Minneapolis,
regarding the principals.
_________________________________________

THE READERS ALWAYS WRITE -- AND MORE

WRESTLING BIOGRAPHY

Welcome to what we hope will become the most
comprehensive electronic source for pro wrestling
biographical information available today. This site will be
updated periodically with new biographies and historical
data.

We begin our journey by looking back at the career of one of
the truly great performers in the history of wrestling, "the
Nature Boy" Ric Flair.

IN THE BEGINNING ... Born February 25, 1949 in
Memphis, Tennesee, Richard Morgan Fliehr grew up in the
icy midwest, the son of a Minneapolis physician ...

A two-sport athlete in high school, Fliehr wrestled in the
heavyweight division and won the Minnesota state title in
1967, before moving on to the University of Minnesota in
1969, where he played offensive guard for the college's
football team ...

Always a wrestling fan in his youth, Fliehr spent many a
night at local grappling shows in the Twin Cities area,
cheering on such legends as Verne Gagne and The Crusher
(Reggie Lisowski)...

LEARNING TO CRAWL ...In 1971, Fliehr decided to forego
a career in medicine to pursue his dream of becoming a
professional wrestler ...Fliehr, then 22, sought out the
guidance of his boyhood idol Verne Gagne, who ran a
training camp in Minneapolis. Gagne, himself a former
Olympic wrestler, liked wrestlers with legitimate athletic
credentials and rode his students hard ...

Like so many before him, the young Fliehr couldn't stand the
pressure and dropped out of the famed academy. But unlike
most, Richard re-enrolled, and in 1972, after training under
the direction of Gagne, Ed "Wahoo" McDaniel, and Billy
Robinson, Fliehr graduated and became a full-fledged
professional wrestler (other graduates in his class were
Khosrow "The Iron Sheik" Vaziri and Olympic strongman
Ken Patera) ...

WALKING THE AISLE ... On December 10, 1972, "Ric
Flair" made his official in-ring debut, wrestling to a time-limit
draw with the late George "Scrap Iron" Gadaski (John
Kosti). He then spent most of his rookie year competing in
Gagne's American Wrestling Association (AWA),
where he lost more matches than he won ...

In 1973, Flair made his first-ever tour of Japan, working for
International Wrestling Enterprises (IWE) ...

In 1974, Flair's former teacher Wahoo McDaniel
recommended him to promoter Jim Crockett Jr. (an affiliate
of the National Wrestling Alliance), who brought the young
wrestler to Charlotte, North Carolina ...

Flair, billed as the cousin of "the Minnesota Wrecking Crew"
Ole & Gene Anderson (Alan "The Rock" Rogowski &
Eugene Anderson), went blonde and took the name of
"Nature Boy," taken from the legendary Buddy Rogers
(Herman "Dutch" Rohde) ...

Coincidentally, it is "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers who is
credited by many historians as the creator of the figure-four
leglock (which Flair began using as his finisher in 1978).
Rogers was also the first of only two men in history to hold
both the NWA and (W)WWF titles (Flair would
eventually become the other) ...

FLAIR FOR THE GOLD ... On July 4, 1974 in Greensboro,
N.C., Flair teamed with veteran brawler Rip Hawk (Harvey
Evers) to capture the Mid-Atlantic tag team title from Bob
Bruggers & Paul Jones (Paul Frederick) ...

In early 1975, Flair & Hawk lost the belts to Jones and his
new partner, Tiger Conway Jr. ...

Then, on July 3, 1975, Flair captured the Mid-Atlantic
televison championship (now known as the WCW World TV
title) from Paul Jones in a match in Raleigh, N.C. He lost it
back to Jones one week later, on July 10 in the same
location ...

ONLY STARS FALL FROM THE SKY ... On October 4,
1975, Flair was one of four passengers aboard a Cessna
310, when it crashed near Wilmington, N.C. Flair suffered a
broken back and it was feared that his career might be
over...

The other passengers aboard that plane were
wrestler/announcer/promoter David Crockett, who suffered
mild brain damage due to the crash; wrestler Tim "Mr.
Wrestling" Woods (George Burrell Woodlin), who escaped
with relatively minor injuries compared to the others; and
wrestlers Bob Bruggers and then-U.S. champion Johnny
Valentine (John Wisniski Sr.), neither of whom were able to
wrestle again ...

The pilot of the plane, however, remained in a coma for
several years before eventually dying. In the aftermath,
lawsuits were filed against the pilot's estate, citing
negligence, and in 1980, Flair emerged victorious in court,
saying that the injuries he suffered in the crash had severely
limited his ability to perform certain moves in the ring ...

In fact, Flair overcompensated so much to protect himself
that a huge calcium deposit developed on his back and
required further surgery (you can still see that scar to this
day) ...

TO BE THE MAN ... By late 1975, Flair returned to the ring,
and the following year, he teamed with Greg Valentine (John
Wisniski Jr.) to capture the Mid-Atlantic tag straps from
Conway Jr. & Dino Bravo (the late Adolpho Brescino)...

It was in 1976, that Flair began one of the most legendary
fueds of his career against his former trainer Chief Wahoo
McDaniel (by then the reigning Mid-Atlantic heavyweight
champion) ...

In televised angles (storylines), Flair destroyed Wahoo's
Indian headress and nearly blinded McDaniel, setting up a
war that would draw huge crowds throughout the Carolinas
and Virginia ...

The two then proceeded to trade the Mid-Atlantic belt back
and forth. On May 24, 1976, Flair beat McDaniel for the title
in Charlotte, only to lose it back on September 11, 1976 in
Greenville, S.C. Flair then began his final reign as Mid-
Atlantic champion on October 16, 1976 in Greensboro,
when he defeated Wahoo again. This time, he held it a little
more than a month, dropping it back to McDaniel on
November 30, 1976 in Raleigh ...

McDaniel then turned his attention to Flair's partner Greg
Valentine (who would solidify his own reputation in wrestling
by "breaking" Wahoo's leg in a legendary televised match in
Raleigh). Flair, on the other hand, had new adventures in
store, as he beat the late Rufus R. "Freight Train" Jones
(Carey Lloyd) for the Mid-Atlantic TV title ...

Besides competing in singles matches, Flair & Valentine,
who were still the Mid-Atlantic tag champs, also captured
the World tag team title (JCP/WCW version, called the
"NWA" World tag title, though not recognized by the
alliance), beating Ole & Gene Anderson on Christmas
Night of 1976 in Greensboro, sending Ole out on a stretcher
in the process ...

The Andersons regained the belts on May 8, 1977 in
Charlotte, besting the blonde duo in a steel cage match...

ENTER THE DRAGON ... Ricky Steamboat (Richard
Blood), billed as the son of Hawaiian great Sam Steamboat
(Sam Mokuahi), came to Jim Crockett Promotions (JCP) as
a protege of Wahoo McDaniel. During a famous TV angle,
Steamboat knocked Flair out cold with a backhand chop
during an interview to set up a bout where the rookie
challenged "the Nature Boy" for the TV title ...

The match, held June 22, 1977, at WRAL-TV studios in
Raleigh, was a superstar-making showcase for both men,
with Steamboat winning the contest and the title when he
pinned Flair following a double-handed karate thrust off the
top rope ...

Afterwards, as Steamboat was celebrating, Flair and
Valentine jumped him and gave him a severe beating. To
get revenge, Steamboat teamed with the popular Paul
Jones to beat Flair & Valentine for the Mid-Atlantic tag
belts on August 22, 1977 in Greensboro ...

WORD GETS AROUND ... By this point, Flair was already
being touted by those within the industry as a future NWA
World heavyweight champion. He beat the late Bobo Brazil
(Houston Harris) on August 1, 1977 in Richmond, Virginia,
to begin his first reign as U.S. heavyweight champion
(JCP/WCW version, called the "NWA" U.S. title, though not
officially recognized by the alliance). This set up an
eleborate angle that is still being copied today ...

Prior to the existence of groups like the NWO and Four
Horsemen, Flair ran in a gang of heel (bad guy) wrestlers
with Greg Valentine and Blackjack Mulligan (Bob Windham)
as his cohorts. Mulligan had held the U.S. title on three
separate occasions over the course of a year-long feud with
Paul Jones and the thrust of the angle was that it was his
main goal in life to recapture that belt which he had just
recently lost to Brazil in Norfolk, Virginia (Brazil had
previously held the Detroit version of the U.S. title, so his
gimmick was that of the former champ coming back for one
last run) ...

So when Flair took the U.S. belt from Brazil (and thus,
became the promotion's number one contender for the NWA
World title), there were immediate rumblings about Flair, as
the weary champion, having to defend against his friend
Mulligan ...

After weeks of hyping the potential Flair-Mulligan match, Ric
finally agreed to defend the belt against the big Texan. But
before the bout could take place, Ricky Steamboat again
stepped into the picture, defeating Flair for the title on
November 11, 1977 in Richmond, Virginia ...

After the title loss, Flair and Mulligan appeared on television
together, with Flair accusing JCP of conspiring against him
by pitting him against his friend. He vowed that a
championship belt would never come between him and
Mulligan again ...

Flair then turned his attention toward tag bouts once again,
teaming with Valentine to regain the World tag straps for a
second time on October 30, 1977, once again beating the
Andersons in Greensboro (only this time, it was Gene who
left on a stretcher) ...

Mulligan, on the other hand, defeated Steamboat in
December of 1977 to begin his fourth and final reign as U.S.
champion. He later lost the belt to Tim "Mr. Wrestling"
Woods in March of 1978 at the Greensboro Coliseum ...

Woods' reign only lasted a few weeks, as he was upended
by Flair on April 1, 1978 in the old Charlotte Coliseum (now
called Independence Arena). Prior to the match, they did an
angle on TV where Woods played an early "April Fool's"
trick on Flair, conning "the Nature Boy" into signing for a
"title versus hair" match ...

It is interesting to note that in the semi-main event on this
card, Flair's fellow student from the Gagne training camp,
Ken Patera, beat their old mentor, Wahoo McDaniel, to
capture the Mid-Atlantic title, which he went on to hold for
the next year ...

On April 5, 1978, an angle took place at WRAL studios in
Raleigh that people still talk about to this day. When
Mulligan came out to congratulate his good buddy Flair on
his U.S. title victory, the subject of Mulligan never getting his
title shot all those months ago was brought up. Thus, an
argument between the two friends ensued, Flair provoked
Mulligan, and the big cowboy finally gave "the Nature Boy"
his long-anticipated smack in the mouth ...

Later in the show, while Mulligan was in the ring wrestling
Tony Russo (George Gouliovas), Flair came out wearing
Mulligan's favorite cowboy hat (supposedly a gift from
Waylon Jennings) and proceeded to rip it to shreds ...

To retaliate, Mulligan strutted out during Flair's bout with
Ted Oates, wearing Ric's $5,000 peacock robe. He then
systematically reduced it to a pile of torn rags, as the fans
went completely wild ...

After this went down, Flair put a bounty on Mulligan's head,
setting up one of the best big-man fueds in the sport's
history between Mulligan and the late Big John Studd (John
Minton). While neither Mulligan nor Studd were great
technical wrestlers, their bloody Bunkhouse matches
were in many ways the forerunner to the style exemplified
later by such groups as Extreme Championship Wrestling
(ECW) ...

Mulligan finally fought his way through the bounty hunters
(Studd, Baron Von Raschke, Cyclone Negro, Skandor
Akbar, etc.) to get his title shot with Flair. However, the big
man came out on the losing end due to all the "injuries"
suffered at the hands of Flair's paid henchmen ...

Shortly thereafter, Mulligan and his longtime friend and
partner, Dick Murdoch, bought the financially-troubled
Amarillo wrestling promotion from the Funk family and left
JCP to return to Texas and run their own cards ...

SPANNING THE GLOBE ... In 1978, Flair made his first
tour with the prestigious All Japan Pro Wrestling promotion.
It was on this visit to the Land of the Rising Sun, that he
shocked the entire industry when he got a pinfall victory over
former NWA World champ Shohei "Giant" Baba (the owner
of All Japan and a prominent member of the National
Wrestling Alliance) ...

Flair also began making appearances for other promoters
throughout North America, building an international
reputation and politicking NWA executives for a World title
reign ...

He wrestled for Sam Muchnick's St. Louis Wrestling Club
(then the world headquarters of the NWA), Fritz Von Erich's
Big Time Wrestling (later known as World Class
Championship Wrestling), Frank Tunney's Maple Leaf
Wrestling (which at the time was basically the Canadian
franchise of JCP), Eddie Graham's Championship Wrestling
from Florida, and the nationally-televised Georgia
Championship Wrestling (seen on SuperStation WTCG,
which later became TBS) ...

Flair also made his WWF debut, pinning Pete Sanchez
(Gino Caruso) in New York's Madison Square Garden. It
should be pointed out that the WWF was at this time an
affiliate member of the NWA ...

HOME FIRES BURNING ... Despite his many travels, it
was back in Flair's home base of JCP that he really began to
establish himself as one of the sport's hottest draws. His
long-standing fued with Ricky Steamboat was rekindled on
October 25, 1978 when he called his old rival out before
the cameras at WRAL to confront him ...

Flair offered to put the U.S. belt on the line so that they
could settle their differences once and for all. However,
when Steamboat came out, Ric attacked him and
proceeded to drag him all around the studio floor, leaving a
hideous burn on the side of his face ...

To add insult to injury, Flair then teamed with Big John
Studd on October 30, 1978 in Greenville, S.C., to beat
Steamboat & Jones for the Mid-Atlantic tag belts ...

Then on November 2, 1978, in one of the most famous and
often-repeated angles in wrestling history, Flair came out on
TV with two models (one of whom would later become
Steamboat's real-life wife Bonnie) and began taunting
Steamboat. Ricky calmly walked to the interview set, and
without saying a word, slapped Flair, threw him in the ring,
and stripped him to his underwear. An irate Flair then gave
a completely psychotic interview (wearing nothing but
underwear and a necktie) and the promotion was officially on
fire ...

Steamboat & Jones then regained the Mid-Atlantic belts
from Flair & Studd on November 5, 1978 in Greensboro,
and Steamboat vowed to recapture the U.S. strap as well ...

He then proceeded to make good on that promise, and after
the two packed arenas throughout the Carolinas, Virginia,
Ontario, and upstate New York, Steamboat defeated Flair to
win the belt on December 18, 1978 in Toronto's Maple Leaf
Gardens ...

DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER ... Despite the fact that Flair &
Valentine were stripped of the World tag belts in a TV angle
by NWA President Eddie Graham in April of 1978, it wasn't
exactly a bad month for Flair, as on April 4, 1979, in a
classic steel cage match in Greensboro, Flair defeated
Steamboat to begin his third reign as U.S. champion. He
then went on to defend the gold against a wide assortment
of challengers, including "Superfly" Jimmy Snuka (James
Reiher), Paul Orndorff, and Jumpin' Jim Brunzell ...

By this point, a lot of people in the industry began to take
note that despite the fact he was playing the heel, an awful
lot of fans seemed to be cheering for Ric Flair. Keep in mind
that in 1978, this was indeed quite rare ...

WHEN WORLDS COLLIDE ... On June 26, 1979, "the
American Dream" Dusty Rhodes pinned Flair in the
Greensboro Coliseum to seemingly win the U.S. title.
However, the NWA later reversed that decision and gave the
belt back to "the Nature Boy" when they ruled that the
special referee had not acted impartially in the match. That
referee? The original "Nature Boy," Buddy Rogers ...

By this point, the once-popular Paul Jones had become the
most hated heel in JCP. He had turned on tag partner Ricky
Steamboat during a two-ring battle royal in Charlotte and
had teamed with Baron Von Raschke (Jim Raschke) to
capture the World tag title from Paul Orndorff & Jimmy
Snuka on April 28, 1979 ...

Then, in what would turn out to be a pivotal moment in
wrestling history, Jones turned on Flair and a folk hero was
born. It all started during a match in which Jones faced
Steamboat in Greensboro. Flair came to ringside and
attempted to nail Steamboat with a chair. Ricky ducked,
and Flair KOed Jones instead ...

Later that night, as Flair wrestled Snuka, Jones retaliated,
knocking Ric out with a chairshot of his own. The stage was
set for a major surprise ...

STRANGE BEDFELLOWS ... As JCP announcer Rich
Landrum (an early host of "World Wide Wrestling") was
conducting a promotional interview segment, Flair called
Steamboat out before the TV cameras. Instead of picking a
fight with him as he had done so many times in the past,
Flair asked Steamboat to be his partner against Jones &
Von Raschke. As collateral, Flair put up "$10,000" to ensure
that he wouldn't doublecross Steamboat during the match.
Ricky accepted ...

For the next couple of months, Steamboat & Flair battled
Jones & Von Raschke throughout the JCP circuit, but did
not take the belts, despite drawing huge crowds wherever
they went ...

At about the same time, the Amarillo promotion went belly-
up and Blackjack Mulligan returned to JCP. Soon, Flair &
Mulligan reunited and captured the World tag belts from
Jones & Von Raschke in early August of 1979 ...

Because of "NWA bylaws," on August 15, 1979, Flair was
forced to give up either the tag belts or the U.S. belt.
Mulligan told him that he shouldn't sacrifice the U.S. title,
but in an emotional interview, Flair gave up the singles title
to thank his old friend for forgiving him ...

Then on August 22, 1979 at WRAL studios in Raleigh,
Jones & Von Raschke beat Flair & Mulligan to recapture the
titles ...

GENERATIONS ... It was around this time that JCP began
running a trivia contest with an expensive watch as the
prize. The questions were, "Who invented the figure four
leglock?" and "Who was the only man to hold both the NWA
and (W)WWF titles?" The answer, of course, was Buddy
Rogers, who was brought in to make the drawing on "World
Wide" ...

After awarding the prize, Rogers went on a tirade, insulting
the "imposter Nature Boy," Ric Flair, who he condemned for
ripping off his persona (in reality, Dutch Rohde himself had
taken the "Nature Boy" moniker from an old song and had
even taken the name "Buddy Rogers" from a 1930s movie
star) ...

Flair, treating Rogers with the utmost respect, came out to
try and calm the legend down, but to no avail. Buddy
screamed that Flair didn't even know how to apply the figure
four properly and insisted that he demonstrate on upstart
wrestler Len Denton (who later gained fame as The
Grappler). Flair agreed, but when he locked the move on,
Rogers began stomping him mercilessly ...

Shortly thereafter, Rogers put together a stable of wrestlers
(which magazine editor Bill Apter dubbed "Rogers' Death
Squad"). It consisted of Ken Patera, Big John Studd, and
babyface-turned-heel Jimmy Snuka ...

Snuka won a tournament on September 1, 1979 in Charlotte
to win the U.S. heavyweight championship, beating
Steamboat in the finals. Others in the tournament were Jim
Brunzell, Johnny Weaver (John Meyers), Bruiser Brody
(Frank Goodish), Studd, Bob Marcus, Tim Woods, Wahoo
McDaniel, Rufus R. Jones, Patera, and believe it or not,
Buddy Rogers himself (who beat Marcus in under a minute
with the figure four, only to be eliminated via a countout loss
to Steamboat later on) ...

Still to come, the fued with Snuka, the betrayal by Greg
Valentine, and the skinny, kilt-wearing loudmouth who rode
into town on a Greyhound bus, Rowdy Roddy Piper ..

(More to come...)

http://homepages.infoseek.com/~1worldchampion/index.htm
l.
__________________________________________

The WAWLI Papers #293...

QUESTIONS, ANSWERS KEEP TAB ON WRESTLING

(Sports Pictorial Review, New York City, Dec. 8, 1947)

Questions regarding wrestling information are answered in
this corner. Address inquiries to Sports Editor, Sports
Pictorial Review, 1476 Broadway, New York City.

FRANK GRANIERI, Brooklyn -- Henry J. Landry of Friars
Point, Miss., president of the National Wrestling Association
of America and treasurer of the National Boxing Association,
is credited with the statement that wrestling matches attract
more fans annually than does professional boxing. At any
rate, considering how little publicity wrestling gets, it is
holding more than its own.

CHESTER KENNEDY, Jamaica -- Danny McShain of Los
Angeles is recognized in some parts of the country as light
heavyweight champion. Middleweight recognition is
extended to Gory Guerrero of Mexico City.

ANDREW MADJEWSKI, Manhattan -- Greatest linguist
among wrestlers is supposedly the Russian Kola Kwariani,
who is credited with speaking 25 languages perfectly.
Kwariani, like many other wrestlers, is also an excellent
chess player. Milo Steinborn is still another.

S.M., Manhattan -- You must have Sebastian Miller in the
"Swiss Strong Man" in mind. It was Miller's specialty to
break cobblestones with his fists. When Miller retired from
wrestling, he opened a restaurant in East 54th Street, which
still exists.

IRVING STEINDLER, Bronx -- Stanislaus Zbyszko is
supposed to be back in New York, holding down a
watchman's job. The Pole, even in his hey-day as a wrestler,
never mastered entirely the catch-as-catch-can style of
grappling, in fact, his squat physical makeup, his endurance,
his speed and his tremendous strength had little occasion to
be versed in the Ameican style of wrestling. His real baby
was Greco-Roman wrestling, in which he excelled.

PAT DOHERTY, Ridgewood -- Primo Carnera entered the
United States on an artist's visa and was therefore entitled to
accept professional engagements.

FRED BAYER, Ridgewood -- What you say is entirely news
to us. We are not aware that Max Schmeling intends to take
up wrestling. He is now 43 years old and is boxing again in
Germany with some measure of success. With international
competition lacking, the Germans are apt to endure even old
man Schmeling's ring antics.

L.K., Newark -- Latest reports have it that George
Hackenschmidt left the French Riviera for London, where he
is supposed to be teaching philosophy on the faculty of a
London university. Hackenschmidt has written several books
on that subject.
________________________________________________

ZEBRA KID SCRAPBOOKS AVAILABLE TO WAWLI

(ED. NOTE -- George Bollas Jr., of Aurora, Ohio, has made
available for WAWLI readers a number of clippings found in
his dad's old scrapbooks, spanning the late '40s, '50s and
'60s. This treasure trove is tapped for this issue and will be
for many subsequent editions of The WAWLI Papers. Our
gracious thanks to George Jr., who -- we might remind you -
- is always on the lookout for old match tapes involving his
illustrious father and any other memorabilia that fans might
be willing to part with. If you can help George Jr. in his
quest, please get in touch with oldfallguy@aol.com and I'll
relay the message to him. Or write to him directly at 250
Poplar Ct., Aurora, Ohio 44202.)
___________________________________________

BOLLAS, BRONKO SIGN FOR RE-MATCH

(St. Paul Dispatch, Sunday, April 15, 1951)

George Bollas, who lost his "rubber match" bout with Bronko
Nagurski by disqualification, will get another shot at the
former Minnesota football star.

Promoter Eddie Williams announced Saturday he had
arranged the rematch as his headliner on Friday's wrestling
card at the St. Paul Armory.

Bollas demanded the rematch immediately after last Friday's
bout, but there was no chance for negotiations at the time
because the brawl that started in the ring extended to the
dressing room, Williams said.

Williams, naturally, was anxious for the rematch after the
two grapplers had drawn a capacity crowd. Nagurski, he
said, accepted the bout Friday because he doesn't want his
victory under a cloud.

Nagurski had been pinned, but was attacked by the 325-
pound Bollas after the bout was officially over. Referee Bill
Kuusisto then awarded the bout to Nagurski by
disqualification of Bollas and a near-riot resulted. Wrestlers
on the preliminary card finally subdued Bollas but the
argument went on in the dressing room.

Bollas demanded a "neutral" referee for the next meeting and
Nagurski said that was all right with him.

Williams said Saturday he has wired Max Baer and Jack
Dempsey, now in New York, and Alex Fidler of Cedar
Rapids.
____________________________________

BRONK WHIPS BOLLAS, SANS REFEREE

(Minneapolis Star, Saturday, April 21, 1951)

Bronko Nagurski and George Bollas, unimpeded by referee
Wally Karbo's presence, turned off the stops at the St. Paul
Armory Friday night until the Bronk was declared the
unofficial winner at 22:30 by the timekeeper.

Karbo was resting peacefully in the dressing room after
being flattened by Bollas and carried from the ring.

Leo Nomellini pinned Stan Mayslack at 11:27 in the semi-
windup, and Pat O'Connor won the special event when Hans
Hermann was disqualified for illegal tactics.

Steve Gob and Johnny Moochy drew in the 30-minute
opener.
______________________________________

LOOK OUT, ZEB, WHIPPER'S ON THE WARPATH

(Toronto Globe & Mail, Friday, November 16, 1951)

There's nothing like the unmasking of a varmint to make the
wrestling public perk up like with a shot in the arm and, if
you would believe Whipper Watson, who takes care of all
kinds of varmints, from English lords to disguised football
players, that's what's in store next Thursday at the Gardens
as wrestling revives itself after a two-week layoff.

The Whipper, who has been watching from the wing the
antics of a fellow who goes under the name of The Zebra,
has been saying that it's high time someone plucked the
mask from the face of the fast fat man. The 305-pound
Whatsits who has been terrorizing hero and villain alike in
these parts for too many months may just possibly have
overreached himself in p;ounding Mons. Francois tunney's
desk, demanding a match with the British Empire champ.

Too, he wants a shot at Lou Thesz, the NWA world champ,
and one of the quickest ways to do it is to beat the Whip.

Also on the card are a couple of Sumo Japs (remember
them?) taking on two local characters, Steve Stanlee and
Mayes McLain, in a tag team match. That should be
something! And, for those who missed it last time, there's
Maedayama, the Sumo grand champ, and Yakatayama in a
real Sumo match. Also prelims. Gee Whiz!
______________________________________

RESULTS, MAPLE LEAF GARDENS, NOV. 22, 1951

Whipper Watson, 236, and The Zebra Kid, 305, wrestled to
a draw. Bout stopped by 11 o'clock curfew after 37 minutes,
58 seconds of wrestling.

Team of Fujitayama, 305, and Onoumi, 300, declared
winner when team of Steve Stanlee, 232, and Mayes
McLain, 250, disqualified at 17:53.

Maedayama, 330 won Sumo bout over Yakatayama, 360,
two falls to one.

Bobo Brazil, 247, defeated Lou Sjoberg, 235, with flying
head scissor at 20 minutes.

Stan Mayslak, 245, and Suni War Cloud, 235, wrestled 20
minutes to a draw.
_________________________________

EXCLUSIVE! WHY THE ZEBRA KID HAD TO RETIRE

(publication unidentified, perhaps Wrestling World)

By Phil Berger

For nearly two decades, from 1947-1968, he was one of the
most feared wrestlers in the world. He roamed from
continent to continent and, with a no-holds-barred style,
devastated an international assortment of opponents, the
best on the clobe. George Bollas, the Zebra Kid, was a mat
superstar.

But recently the cumulative toll of 19 years of wrestling
violence forced the hooded master of mayhem to call it quits.
More to the point was an injury to his left eye that required
two operations in London's St. Thomas Hospital.

"I was afraid of cancer," said Bollas. "It had me pretty
scared."

Fortunately, it was not cancer. But the injury was serious
enough to cause the Zebra Kid to give thought to hanging up
his boots.

The eye trouble was the result of an injury he suffered in
Australia a while back. "There was a riot," Bollas recalled,
"and the mob came after me. I got hit with six chairs. One
split the left eye, the pulpy part just beneath the brow.

"Then recently I was wrestling in Germany and started
getting banged around on that part of the eye. It caused it to
swell. A growth developed inside the flesh. That's when I
began to worry."

London physicians advised him to have an operation. In July
1968, Bollas entered St. Thomas. Another operation was
required in September. The results?

"The eye's okay," said Bollas. "There's no cancer. I had it
tested. Here, I'll show you this letter from the hospital."

The Zebra Kid produced the following letter on hospital
stationery:

"Dear Mr. Bollas,

"I am writing just to confirm that the lump we removed from
your eyelid was quite harmless and probably the result of a
buried stitch following your operation in Australia three years
ago."

Although his eye was pronounced fit for daily use, the
chances of the injury recurring at the resumption of his
wrestling career were not remote. And though Bollas'
fondness for the sport is deep-rooted, the longer he
considered his future the more certain he became that it was
time to retire.

"It wasn't just the eye," he said. "Sure, I love wrestling but
it's been a long hard haul. I'm tired of the traveling. It's time
to settle down. I want to be with my family more. I want to
stop living out of the suitcase. I want to get a home for
Angela (his wife) and George Junior (his seven-year-old
son). You look at my face and you know I've paid my dues to
the sport."

Quite true. The face under the mask resembles a well
traveled road map. His thick nose has been steamrollered
flat and his face is a monument to violence. The voice is
deep and gravelly like movie star Broderick Crawford's.
Nobody would mistake the Zebra Kid for a bank clerk or
clergyman.

So Bollas has returned to the States from England where,
four years ago, he settled down to finish out his career. At
the time, he had vague thoughts of staying permanently in
London. But, after alternating successes and
disappointments and finally the eye surgery, he packed his
bags and returned on the Queen Elizabeth to the States and
his home in Ohio, where it all began for him.

The youngest of four children, Bollas was born in Warren,
Ohio, where his father operated a restaurant. In high school,
he worked in the steel mills, but his interest in sports saved
him from that back-breaking labor.

He went to Ohio State University and lettered in football and
wrestling. "I went out for wrestling just to keep in shape for
football, but wrestling came to be my sport."

As a collegiate wrestler, he never lost a fall. He won National
Intercollegiate, National AAU and Big Ten heavyweight titles.
After graduating, he turned pro to meet pressing financial
obligations. His reputation earned at Ohio State made him a
popular performer in the Youngstown-Columbus, Ohio area.

"I was doing okay wrestling there when Frank Sexton, a
great pro wrestler who had gone to Ohio State, told me to
head to New York," Bollas said.

"I went to New York, but I got into trouble with the New York
Athletic Commission for a scrap I had with Mattie Mario. I
punched him out when he slapped me and that touched off a
small riot."

When the New York commission barred him from wrestling
in the territory under its jurisdiction, Bollas was forced to
assume the mask and head south. He wrestled as the
Intercollegiate Dark Secret, staying three months in
Charlotte, North Carolina.

From Charlotte, he moved to Hollywood and his last mat
identity as the Zebra Kid. "That name was a natural for me,"
Bollas said. "When I was at Ohio State, I had stretch marks
on my body from gaining weight too fast (when he retired he
weighed more than 325 pounds). The marks looked like
stripes and even in those days the guys called me 'Zeeb.' So
it just seemed fitting to call myself the Zebra Kid."

As the Zebra Kid, Bollas tangled with the best wrestlers in
the nation. Some of his more memorable matches were
against Buddy Rogers, Lou Thesz, Yukon Eric, Mike and
Ben Sharpe, and Killer Kowalski.

As his fame increased, the Zebra Kid sought more worlds to
conquer. He came to the Continent, and soon grew fond of
London. In 1964, he announced he was staying in London,
saying, "This is a good wrestling country and there's plenty
of action for a wrestler. More important, travelling is not as
bad a problem here. In the States, there are 3,000 miles of
country to cover, while England has a range of 1,000 miles
at the most.

"This means that by living in London, which is roughly in the
middle of England, I can wrestle anywhere in the country
and still get home that evening and be with my family the
next day."

Despite the high hopes he entertained for a wrestling life in
Europe, things did not always work out for Bollas.

"In Greece," Bollas said, "I lost a fortune. I tried to promote
wrestling there. I wrestled and promoted at the same time.
The trouble was that my cousin, who was a director in the
operations, took the money and beat it out of town.

"I figure I lost $5,000 to $6,000. It wasn't just the money,
though, that hurt. More than that, we were relatives. I was
living in his house. And the wrestling shows I was
performing in were drawing plenty good. The first time I
wrestled in Athens, there was a crowd of about 15,000
people. I beat George Gordienko, the Canadian-Russian.
There were about 15 or 16 shows. My cousin put the money
in his name rather than the company's.

"Of course, I tried to imprison him, but it was no use. I had
five different lawyers, but they couldn't or didn't want to help
me. The whole thing was rigged against me. I was the
foreigner, and they weren't about to get one of their own into
trouble."

So he left Greece for Beirut, Lebanon, penniless. "Things
began to pick up," he remembered. "This was 1965 and I
wrestled in a tournament in Beirut. I finished second and
earned more than a thousand dollars for eight matches.
From Beirut, I went to French Cameroon for another
tournament. Same thing. Finished second. Made a
thousand."

Just when his prospects looked promising, Bollas' affairs
commenced to turn bad. "I ended up broke in France after
trying to make a last bid to get my money from my cousin.

"Not only didn't I have any money, but the car I was driving
broke down. Let me tell you, it was one of the really low
points of my life. I didn't think I'd ever be able to pick myself
up.

"But fortunately I got help from a priest. He helped me
contactmy wife, and somehow I got back to England and
resumed my career. Nineteen sixty-six was a quiet year. I
made enough money ot pay the bills. I was working pretty
steadily. No complaints.

"In '67, I went to South Africa, and the response was very
good. Then I went to Rhodesia, where the crowds were
enormous, too. For a 42-year-old man, I still could get up
and go with the best."

Indeed he could, and the customers paid to see it. In
Joahnnesburg, South Africa, the largest crowd in the
country's history, 20,000 strong, watched Bollas wrestle
against Jan Wilkins. In Germany, where he went after his
successful African tour, he was proving just as popular until
sidelined by the eye injury.

"There were a lot of long months for me," Bollas recalled.
"Remembering all the places I'd been to and all the wrestling
I'd done. I've wrestled close to 5,000 bouts in my lifetime
and done pretty well. Before television came in, I was
grossing over $32,000 a year. Yeah, I was remembering all
that while recuperating from the operations and wondering
what to do."

Finally, he decided.

"I had to give up wrestling for a living," he said, "but I guess I
can't really sever my ties with the sport. So I plan to continue
my association with wrestling now as a coach in the state of
Ohio. Perhaps at Ohio State University. If not there,
somewhere else.

"Maybe you're wondering if I'm qualified. Well, having
wrestled as a pro gives me certain credentials. But more
than that I've been involved as a wrestling coach. When I
was in the States, I was an assistant wrestling coach at Ohio
State.

"I used to coach the ROTC boys, about 1,000 a week, in
wrestling. Here in London, I kept my hand in coaching, too. I
had some success with training Dennis McNamara. He was
and still is a London bobby (police officer). When he came to
me, he knew a lot about wrestling but not that much about
conditioning himself. He thought he needed heavyweight
training, that is working out against boys his size. But I
changed his regimen. I worked him against successive boys
much lighter than him. I'd put these quick light guys on him
and tell Dennis to bust loose. It developed his tamina and
quickness to face one after another of these quick fellows.

"then, after that kind of gruelling work out, I'd put a 100-
pound sack of sand on his back and tell him to start running.
He didn't realize what conditioning was until he started
training under me. He got to the point where he could run
two miles with that bag on his back, and this after working
out.

"But it paid off for him. He wound up beating a guy who'd
beat him the year before -- in the competition for the national
title. Took him in two straight pinfalls. He also won the world
amateur police championship and went on to the Tokyo
Olympics, where he finished fifth in the world, beating Sato
of Japan in 87 seconds. So I guess you could say, coaching
is not foreign to me."

Nor is fame foreign to the Zebra Kid. And though his fame
has brought imitators, among wrestling fans all over the
world, it has been well known that there was only one Zebra
Kid -- George Bollas.

(ED. NOTE--Dennis McNamara of Great Britain did, indeed,
finish fifth in the super heavyweight division of freestyle
wrestling at the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games.)
____________________________________

SPEAKING OF THE OLYMPIC GAMES . . .

At least 15 men who later earned recognition as professional
wrestlers in North America earned gold, silver or bronze
medals in Olympic Games wrestling and weightlifting
competitions. If anyone can add to this list, please send the
information to the editor at: oldfallguy@aol.com

Freestyle Wrestling/Gold Medalists---

--Robin Reed, USA, featherweight (134 1/2 pounds), 1924

--John Spellman, USA, lightheavyweight (192 lbs.), 1924

--Johan Richtoff, Sweden, heavyweight, 1928 & 1932

--Pete Mehringer, USA, lightheavyweight (192 lbs.), 1932

Silver Medalists----

--Nat Pendleton, USA, heavyweight, 1920

--Danny Hodge, USA, middleweight (174 pounds), 1956

Bronze Medalists----

--Fred Meyer, USA, heavyweight, 1920

--Chris Taylor, USA, super heavyweight, 1972 (this was after
Taylor lost the highly disputed match to the eventual gold
medalist, Oleksander Medvid of the Soviet Union, after being
assessed a penalty for "passivity" by a Turkish referee who
was thereafter banned from officiating international
competitions)

Graeco-Roman Wrestling/Gold Medalists----

--Henri Deglane, France, heavyweight, 1924

--Axel Cadier, Sweden, lightheavyweight (192 lbs.), 1936

Silver Medalist-----

--Johan (John) Olin, Finland, heavyweight, 1912

Bronze Medalist-------

--Ferenc Holuban, Hungary, lightweight (165 1/2 lbs.), 1906

Weightlifting/Gold Medalist-----

--Paul Anderson, USA, heavyweight, 1956

Silver Medalists------

--Dimitrios Tofalos, Greece, heavyweight (two-hand lift),
1906

--Harold Sakata, USA, lightheavyweight (183 lbs.), 1948
(best known as Tosh Togo in the pro ring and as "Oddjob" in
the James Bond movie adventure, "Goldfinger"; later,
wrestled as "Oddjob" in various venues around the world
_______________________________________

The WAWLI Papers #294...

(ED. NOTE--The New York Daily News was the first
metropolitan daily to feature a regular column devoted to
wrestling, at least in the so-called "modern" age of WCW
and WWF. The anonymous "Slammer" writes it, and in the
interest of wrestling scholarship -- years from now, people
will wonder what pro wrestling was all about in the late
1990s -- we present a series of columns from the past two or
three months.)
______________________________________

WWF SET TO ROLL DICE ON LAS VEGAS CASINO

(New York Daily News, Friday, August 14, 1998)

By The Slammer

Just when you think the wonderful and whacky world of
wrestling has no surprises left, the WWF makes you think
again.

Try this one: The WWF Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas?

A week ago Wednesday, the WWF submitted the highest
bid at a bankruptcy auction in Las Vegas for the Debbie
Reynolds Hotel and Casino.

Their winning bid was $10.5 million. This past Monday, the
WWF wired $2.13 million as a 20% down payment on the
property. If all goes well, they hope to close the sale by Aug.
20.

And the WWF will seek to obtain its own gaming license.

This is a daring venture for Vince McMahon, who has blazed
new trails in the past and is attempting to sift new sands for
the future.

It is far too early to know their plans but you can "bet" the
hotel/casino will have a wrestling theme.

I can only imagine the themes for this place in the desert
sun.

Let's begin with Robert De Niro as the casino boss.

And people must eat, so how about the Undertaker Cafe,
whose hours would be sunset to sunrise? How about a
Stone Cold Stunner Salad? And a Funk Junk Fast Food
section?

For souvenirs, how about the Chyna Shop? It's slogan: "If
you break it, you pay for it or she breaks you."

Then there's the Kane Club where members must wear
masks.

Be polite to the cocktail waitresses because one of them
may have been a former tag team champion.

How about the Legion of Doom Video Room?

The "Luck of the Irish" gaming room, hosted by Ken
Shamrock.

To entertain the folks, how about the Nation of Domination
Lounge, headlined by The Headbangers?

And not to worry about security, the man in charge is Vader.

The coupe de ville could be a grand opening in the year
2000 with Wrestlemania XVI as the first event.

And now back to the past. Tonight Show host Jay Leno is
undefeated in the ring as he debuted last Saturday at
WCW's "Road Wild."

Dressed in a "Tonight" shirt and jeans (how mundane), he
and Diamond Dallas Page upset Eric Bischoff and
Hollywood Hulk Hogan.

Leno showed he wasn't there just for the scenery because
he actually gave Bischoff a clothesline or two and applied a
wrist lock to Hogan.

The end came when Leno's band director Kevin Eubanks
illegally entered the ring and put Bischoff in the "diamond
cutter." He let Leno fall on Eric for the pin and win. Top that
one Johnny.

Bill Goldberg was so feared as he won the "Battle Royal,"
Kevin Nash committed "match suicide" by throwing himself
over the top rope rather than face Big Bill.

______________________________________

HOGAN RECEIVES ULTIMATE SHOCK

(New York Daily News, Friday, August 21, 1998)

By The Slammer

My Aunt Thelma used to say a rumor is a fact that is yet to
be known. Well, let it be known that this rumor is now a fact
=97 the Ultimate Warrior is back.

For the last few years the mill has spun around with rumors
of the Warrior's return. But alas they always remained
rumors and he remained invisible.

But that all changed last Monday on WCW's "Nitro." The
painted prince of pain appeared in Hartford to the cheers of
the fans and the chagrin of Hulk Hogan.

The program began with Diamond Dallas Page telling
Hogan that he would be getting a partner for next month's
"Fall Brawl" and that this man was an adversary from
Hogan's past.

Later in the evening, as Hogan and Eric Bischoff were
chatting in the ring, flickering lights and smoke enveloped
the arena. And who should walk ringside but the Ultimate
Warrior. The fans went wild and Hogan went into shock.

The Warrior took the mike and proclaimed: "You (Hogan)
have beaten giants, legends and myths. But you have never
beaten a Warrior." Another roar came from the crowd. All
Hogan could say was, "I thought you were dead." The
Warrior went on: "I have been watching you wrestle and feel
now is time to return and start a new revolution."

Then came more smoke and then darkness. When the
lights came back on, the Warrior was gone.

This is not the first time the man has returned only to
disappear.

We did some checking on his painted past and called Bill
Apter, senior editor of Pro Wrestling Illustrated Almanac. He
said the Warrior first won the Intercontinental belt at
"Summer Slam" on Aug. 29, 1988 at the Garden. He
defeated the Honky Tonk Man in about 20 seconds. Then
came his greatest moment and, in my opinion, the most
anticipated match of the decade.

It was April 1, 1990, Wrestlemania VI, in Toronto at
SkyDome for the world championship between the Warrior
and then champion Hogan. The Warrior held the
Intercontinental belt and Hogan the world title belt. Up to
this match neither man had ever faced the other (nor have
they since) and both put their belts on the line. A still-record
audience of over 67,000 was treated to one of the most
intense battles ever as the Warrior pinned the Hulkster for
the title.

Apter then said the Warrior left wrestling in 1991 and had a
brief stint with some independent organizations in August of
1993. Another retirement and once again another return.

This time he appeared at Wrestlemania XII, March 31,
1996, in Anaheim where he beat Hunter Hearst Helmsley.
But again soon after, the Warrior disappeared into the
sunset.

So as the Warrior reappears in this month of August,
Almanac editor Apter notes: "He apparently rises with the
summer heat of August."

We all know the saying "time and tide wait for no warrior."
So will he be as dominating as before or just a ghostly
image of yesteryear?

And the bigger question: The Warrior is back, but for how
long?
________________________________________

HIGHWAY TO HELL LEADS TO GARDEN

(New York Daily News, Friday, August 28, 1998)

By The Slammer

If you are not sure when summer is over, don't check the
almanac, check with the WWF. This Sunday they officially
"slam" summer down when they go to Madison Square
Garden for "Summer Slam: Highway to Hell." The highway
in no way refers to New York City roads, but some may
disagree.

The main event is world champion Stone Cold Steve Austin
defending the title vs. The Undertaker. The two have
become the best of enemies. Add to it that Undertaker and
his brother, Kane, have made up and become friends. So
Kane may be "able" to help the Undertaker.

On top of that, Mankind is secretly feuding with Kane (his
tag champ partner), so he may go to the aid of his former
tag champ partner Austin. Also, Paul Bearer has been
humiliated by Sonny Boy Kane, so he might also go to the
aid of Austin.

Then we have an Intercontinental "ladder" title match
between champion Rocky Miavia and challenger Hunter
Hearst Helmsley, who will be aided (and no doubt illegally
assisted) by Chyna.

The belt will be suspended high above the ring and the first
guy to grab it wins the title.

Now last week, the New Nation, headed by Rocky,
humiliated Chyna and literally forced her to her knees. So
Hunter has the added inspiration of not only winning the
title, but winning respect for his lady fair. This could be one
of the best matches of the year.

Then we have a "Lion's Den" match between Ken Shamrock
and Owen Hart, who is now the co-leader of the New
Nation. This one is an anything-goes, no-holds-barred,
submission-only-to-win contest. It is being held at the
Theatre at the Garden. Rumors are they are digging a dirt
pit and putting a steel cage around it. This one could get
real dirty.

Now, although Madison Square Garden is sold out, have no
fear about tickets. The Theatre, which as previously
mentioned is staging the "Lion's Den" match, has limited
seating for this contest. Tickets can be purchased for $18 at
the Garden ticket office, Ticketmaster or charge by
phone at 307-7171.

Besides seeing the den match live, you get to watch the rest
of the Slam matches via closed-circuit giant Titan Tron,
measuring 40 by 20 feet.

Next is a mixed tag-team contest between Sable and a
mystery partner vs. her former friend, Marc Mero, and his
current friend, Ms. Jacqueline. It is still a mystery as to who
Sable will bring with her.

However, my gremlins have tried to uncover the mystery.
They say don't be too surprised if Butterbean, the mountain
of flesh who claims to be a boxer and the affection of Sable,
is at her side.

The tag champs of Mankind and Kane take on Billy Gunn
and Road Dog. But we doubt the champs will keep the belt.

Then there's a "Hair vs. Hair" match involving X-Pac and
Jeff Jarrett, and we know what happens to the loser.
_______________________________________

SPOILS OF WAR GO TO PAGE

(New York Daily News, Friday, September 18, 1998)

By The Slammer

They played "War Games" Sunday in South Carolina and
we are happy to report there were no civilian casualties. You
see, these war games were part of the WCW "Fall Brawl."

"War Games" was the main event and was held in a double
ring and cage between three teams. Last man standing was
the winner and, as a bonus, that man now has a shot at the
world title next month.

The mayhem began immediately as NWO Team Hogan,
NWO Team Wolf Pack and Team WCW all smashed and
bashed away at each other.

The turning point was when Hollywood Hogan illegally used
a blackjack (no, not our hotline host) to smack everyone in
sight, including Lex Luger, Kevin Nash, Sting and Stevie
Ray, into la-la land.

But then the Ultimate Warrior had seen enough and chased
Hogan outside the cage. Hollywood then slammed the cage
door shut and locked it after his henchman The Disciple
KOd the referee and took his key.

But a locked cage never stopped the Warrior. He kicked
open the side of the cage and ran after Hogan as the two
disappeared into the dressing room.

Meanwhile, back at the war game, Diamond Dallas Page
found himself the only man left in the cage who was not
semi-unconscious.

Page proceded to place a worn-out Stevie Ray in the
"diamond cutter" for the win and the title shot at Halloween
Havoc on Oct. 25 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

____________________________________

SOME BIG NAMES MEETING IN ALLEY

(New York Daily News, Friday, September 25, 1998)

By The Slammer

Well, it's time for some cauliflower talk. No, it's not about a
new recipe from my Aunts Thelma and Louise. It's time to
talk about the Cauliflower Alley Club annual banquet.

It is scheduled for Oct. 24, 2 p.m., at the Hilton Hotel in
Cherry Hill, N.J. The club will honor the NWA (National
Wrestling Alliance) as it celebrates its 50th anniversary.
Among those getting their day in the ring is CAC president
and former NWA multi-champ Lou Thesz.

Lou won his first NWA belt in 1937, and in a span of 18
years won five more. His total of six title belts ties him with
Ric Flair for the second most NWA titles. And who has
more? Good of you to ask. It is the man who also will be
honored that day.

And that honoree is Harley Race. Harley held the title seven
times during his illustrious career.

Another honoree is the "voice" of the NWA, Gordon Solie,
and what would an event like this be without the classy
Freddie Blassie?

The younger generation will be there with the outstanding
NWA junior champion Danny Hodge, Dory Funk Jr. and
some future stars from the WWF training facility in
Stamford, Conn.

Guests include "Mr. NWA" Jim Cornette, former NWA
champion Barry Windham, Al Snow and Abdullah the
Butcher.

After the fun and food, there will be live matches (also at the
Hilton) as part of the festivities.

For something more current, this Sunday the WWF is going
"In Your House." The main event is a "Triple Threat" title
match between the champion Stone Cold Steve Austin, the
Undertaker and his brother Kane.
________________________________________

BELT ELUDES KANE, UNDERTAKER

(New York Daily News, Friday, October 2, 1998)

By The Slammer

The WWF had a "breakdown" last Sunday, and it had
nothing to do with its motorcade.

This "Breakdown" occurred in the WWF's pay-per-view
event, "In Your House."

The main match was a triple-threat title bout between
champion Stone Cold Steve Austin and challengers The
Undertaker and Kane.

It was obvious from the start that Austin was in double
trouble. The only thing that saved him early was when the
Undertaker had a chance to pin Steve, Kane pulled him off.
And when Kane tried to pin Austin, the Undertaker did the
same.The Undertaker shows his softer side. But while the
Undertaker and Kane displayed disunity, they were united
in defeating Stone Cold.

It happened when the Undertaker and Kane applied the
"choke slam" to Austin. As Stone Cold was rammed to the
canvas, the Undertaker and Kane simultaneously fell on
Austin. So as the referee counted Austin out, we knew the
loser, but who was the winner and champion?

An immediate response came from Vince McMahon. He
quickly jumped into the ring and just as quickly jumped out,
running to a waiting limousine with the title belt in hand.

In hot pursuit was Austin. Commish Sgt. Slaughter, Gerald
Brisco and Pat Paterson tried to stop Austin.

As he approached McMahon's vehicle, Vince shouted from
the window: "It's my belt now!" and gave Steve the two-
handed, single-finger "I'm No. 1" sign. Get my drift? The car
sped into the night.

So the following night on "Raw," McMahon placed the new
championship belt (Austin had personalized the old one by
putting a skull on the buckle) in a case. He then announced
that Oct. 18 on the next "In Your House," Kane and the
Undertaker would fight for the world championship. And he
then added that Stone Cold Steve Austin would be special
guest referee.

Now for some reason, this did not sit well with both men,
and the Undertaker whacked Vince's knee with the ring's
steel steps, leaving Vince in much pain.

Back to last Sunday. The next contest was a "triple threat"
cage match between Rocky Miavia, Ken Shamrock and
Mankind. The winner was to get a title shot at the champ.
But since we don't know who the champ is at the moment,
the match was to determine the No. 1 contender.

The rules for this one were that you had to pin, make the
other guy submit or leave the cage to win.

At the critical point (usually near the end), Mankind had
carefully placed a steel chair across Shamrock's head,
leaving him unconscious. Rocky at this time was also semi-
conscious due to repeated blows about his head and body
from the other two gentlemen. Now Mankind made a
tactical error.

Rather than pin either men, Mankind chose to leave the
cage. Considering that he is about as quick as a turtle, this
was not a wise decision.

As Mankind lumbered up the side of the cage, Rocky
regained strength to go over and pin Shamrock for the win.

Last week the phone number for ordering Cauliflower Club
banquet tickets was accidentally omitted. For more
information, call: 689-2830, ext. 242, or (718) 745-7334.
_________________________________________

WCW GETS READY FOR WAR GAMES

(New York Daily News, Friday, September 11, 1998)

By The Slammer

War games are scheduled for Sunday in Winston-Salem,
N.C. Now there's no need to call any relatives and friends
there and tell them to evacuate the town. These war games
are not being held by any government agency. These war
games are being held by the WCW. And as far as we know,
that is not a government agency. But hey, you never know.

The War Games is the main part of the pay-per-view event
called "Fall Brawl." It features nine men and three groups of
wrestlers.

It's being held in two adjoining rings enclosed in a cage. Not
the best place to hold a meeting, but these are war games.
The first team is the NWO "Wolf Pack" comprised (the word
of the week) of Kevin Nash, Lex Luger and Sting. Then we
have the NWO "Hollywood" group led by, of course,
Hollywood Hulk Hogan, Bret Hitman Hart and Stevie Ray,
who is subbing for the injured Scott Hall. And the third
squad is Team WCW, with Diamond Dallas Page, Rowdy
Roddy Piper and The Ultimate Warrior.

The rules have been changed from previous war games. In
the past, the winner was the team that made the other
teams say "I quit." This year the winner is the last man
standing, and he will get a shot at world champion Bill
Goldberg at next month's "Halloween Havoc" in the city of
glitter and slot machines, Las Vegas.

This new configuration (second word of the week) of rules
makes being a team player a disadvantage. Since the
winner gets a solo shot at the title, individuality takes
precedence over teamwork.

This marks the Ultimate Warrior's first active participation in
the WCW. There is no doubt in my mind (what's left of it)
that the Warrior will want a shot at Hogan instead of
Goldberg. And vice versa, since Hogan has never defeated
the Warrior. So look for these two to wage war
against each other.

The favorite to be the last man standing is Diamond Dallas
Page, and second choice is Kevin Nash. We shall see who
is left standing.

Next it's brother vs. brother. Rick Steiner will finally get to
meet brother Scott in the ring. Rick has been looking to get
major revenge for his brother's betrayal a few months back
when Scott turned against Rick in a tag match. The two are
now bitter enemies and this should be one of the best
matches of the year.

Two titles will be on the line. First, champ Chris Jericho
faces Konnan, and the cruiserweight champion Juventa
Guerrera tangles with Hayashi. Also there's a "Control of the
Flock" contest between present leader Raven and Saturn.
Look for the Raven to orbit Saturn.

___________________________________

VINCE NOT SAFE, EVEN IN HOSPITAL

(New York Daily News, Friday, October 9, 1998)

By The Slammer

The WWF is beginning to resemble the NFL. Meaning this
week we will give you the WWF injury update, starting with
its leader, Vince McMahon.

Vince has been in a hospital since The Undertaker and Kane
jumped him the previous week on "Raw." Vince was
announcing that the championship match for the next "In
Your House" on Oct. 18 would be between Kane and
the Undertaker. Upon hearing the news, the Undertaker
whacked McMahon's knees with the steel steps, causing
trauma serious enough for hospitalization.

So last Monday Vince wanted to let people know how he
was doing. "Raw" had a live feed from McMahon's bedside,
and who should pay Vince a surprise visit? None other than
Dr. Stone Cold Steve Austin.

Austin, disguised as a doctor, entered McMahon's room as
Vince was about to speak, and attacked him. He was
pounding away all over poor, bed-ridden McMahon. The
cameras caught some of the violence, but not all of it.
Seems Austin gave Vince and the camera a thrashing,
knocking it from the holder's hand.

Rumors are that McMahon now must employ a bodyguard.

___________________________________________

STONE COLD & MAC CEMENT FRIENDSHIP

(New York Daily News, Friday, October 16, 1998)

By The Slammer

The WWF is coming "In Your House" Sunday. It's called
"Judgment Day," but there is no need for you to have a
minister present. Unless, of course, he or she wants to
watch the event.

The main match is for the world championship as brother
faces brother. It's Kane vs. the Undertaker, with Stone Cold
Steve Austin as the special referee. Vince McMahon has
made an unusual stipulation to this one =97 Austin must raise
the hand of the victor or he immediately will be cashiered
(fired) from the WWF.

This rule stems from the latest chapter in the ongoing
relationship between McMahon and Austin.

Last Monday on "Raw," McMahon made an appearance at
Nassau Coliseum after his discharge from a hospital. He
parked his mint 1985 Corvette in the lot and